A regular meeting of the Sausalito City Council will be held on Tuesday, January 14. Items of discussion include:

On the Consent Calendar:
- receiving the annual notification of the terms expiring on the various Boards and Commissions in 2014 (4b)
- resolving that Firefighter Gergus is incapacitated within the meaning of the Public Employees’ Retirement
Law (4c)
- receiving the meeting notes from the Finance Committee Meeting of 12/18/13 (4d)

On Public Hearings:
- appeal of the Municipal Pier restoration project (5a)

Business Items:
- awarding a construction contract for repaving the City Hall parking lot and other ADA Updates(6a)

To read more about any of these items, CLICK HERE and scroll down to that agenda item (agenda items are noted in the parathesis above).

Also of note, if you wish to submit a written comment about any of these items, click here and scroll down to the e-comments link along side the agenda for the meeting. Here you can comment on any item and it becomes a part of the permanent record immediately and is immediately available to Council to read.

SUSTAINABILITY

Free Sausalito Electronic Waste Collection Event and Compost Too
Help our City to dispose of e-waste the right way by recycling!

The Sausalito Sustainability Commission is sponsoring its annual e-waste disposal event on Saturday, January 11, 2014, 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM in the Sausalito City Hall rear parking lot on Bee Street. Residents and businesses are invited to drop off non-working and obsolete electronics at the event.

E-waste collected will be shredded and mechanically separated into the primary commodities of steel, aluminum, copper and plastic for use in the manufacture of new products. No e-waste will be landfilled or exported as e-waste.

A limited amount of compost will be available at the E-Waste Collection event. If you are interested please bring your own container to take home compost processed from Sausalito’s food scraps/green waste program. Staff from Bay Cities Refuse will be there to help with the shoveling and loading while the supply lasts.

LIBRARY

Free E-books from the Library
The Sausalito Public Library features two free collections of electronic books, featuring thousands of quality titles -- including recent bestsellers -- from major publishing houses like Random House and HarperCollins. Both e-books and e-audiobooks are available, and can be used on tablet, laptop and desktop computers, Kindles, iPads, iPhones, Android devices, Nooks, and other mobile gadgets. Visit our website at www.sausalitolibrary.org for more information and step-by-step instructions. You will need a library card and PIN to access the collection. Checkouts and holds are free. Call us at 289-4121 if you need any help.

1-on-1 Help with Library E-books
If you have an iPad, iPhone, Kindle, tablet, Android phone, laptop computer or other mobile device and would like help getting set up to read Library e-books or listen to Library e-audiobooks, just let us know! Call Abbot Chambers at 289-4123 or email achambers@ci.sausalito.ca.us to schedule a one-on-one training session. (Available to Sausalito residents only)

Toddler Story Time
We now have two Toddler Story Times on Wednesday mornings. Join Molly for stories, songs and play at 9:40 am or 10:40 am, for children 3 and under and their caregivers.

Picnic Time!
Wednesday, January 15, 2:45 pm
Missing summertime? Join us for an indoor picnic! Bring your picnic blanket and basket—we’ll bring lots of games, lemonade, a snack, and a craft. All ages are welcome.

Concert by Lycée Français Students
Thursday, January 16, 10:30am
Lycée Français students will share traditional (and not so traditional) French songs in a special morning performance in the Library’s main room. We’ll also share some galette des rois to celebrate the season.

Tween Advisory Council
The Library is recruiting 6th, 7th and 8th graders for a brand-new Tween Advisory Council. The Council will help decide which books, movies and music the Library should have and will plan programs and events. (We’ll also eat pizza and snacks at every meeting.) More information and the application is available at www.sausalitolibrary.org, or contact Erin Wilson, Children’s & YA Librarian, at 289-4121 or ewilson@ci.sausalito.ca.us.

Join seasoned traveler, photographer and guide Cindi LaRaia as she provides invaluable information on planning a safari, the difference between East Africa and southern African countries, types of recreational activities and exotic wildlife, accommodation options, best time to visit and more!??

Cindi has traveled extensively for 17 years throughout the region and considers Africa a magic haven for photographers. More information can be found online at: ?www.Africa-Discovery.com

Living Healthy in a Toxic World
Monday, January 27 - 7:00 pm in the Edgewater Room

Everyday we’re exposed to hundreds of untested chemicals — from additives in food, to endocrine disruptors in soap and shampoo, to fumes in household cleaners. These comprise your “body burden” and can exacerbate allergies, asthma, fatigue, cough, headache, and more serious health conditions.

Beth Greer, healthy home expert, and best-selling author of “Super Natural Home,” will share practical, affordable ways to eliminate toxins found in everyday products. You’ll learn how to make safe, healthy product choices and understand vague and misleading labels on food, personal care and cleaning products. Plus, you’ll have a greater awareness that what goes IN you, ON you and SURROUNDS radically impacts your health and vitality.

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Butte Street Task Force will hold a public hearing on Thursday, January 16, 2014 at 5:30 p.m. in the Willow Creek Academy Library at 33 Buchanan Street, Sausalito, in order to provide the public with an update on the activities of the Task Force and to receive comments on their recommendation to the City Council for the two-acre parcel on Butte Street which is co-owned by the City of Sausalito.

You are invited to attend this public hearing. If you cannot attend and wish to forward your comments, please send them to Assistant to the City Manager/City Clerk Debbie Pagliaro at 420 Litho Street, Sausalito, or e-mail your comments to dpagliaro@ci.sausalito.ca.us.

The City of Sausalito’s Amnesty period, during which time existing unpermitted Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) may be legalized, will end on March 31, 2014. The amnesty provisions only apply to complete applications received by the City of Sausalito’s Planning Division no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday March 31, 2014. If an existing unit is not legalized or removed during the amnesty period, the City may begin code enforcement action against the property owner after the conclusion of the amnesty period to either bring the unpermitted unit into conformance with the Accessory Dwelling Unit regulations or remove the illegal unit. In such cases, the illegal unit may be subject to the applicable penalty fees. The fee for an Amnesty ADU permit is $400.00. Applications and application submittal requirements for an Amnesty ADU Permit are available at the Community Development Department at Sausalito City Hall, or through their website at www.ci.sausalito.ca.us

Upcoming Meeting:
The City Council will hold a meeting on the appeal of the Bridgeway public pier on Tuesday, January 14 beginning at 7pm. The Council may decide to take action on the appeal of the Planning Commission decision to deny the pier (meaning that the Council can overturn the decision, which would result in approval of the pier, or uphold the Planning Commission decision, which would result in the denial of the pier). The Council may also continue consideration of the item to a future meeting.

The Council staff report (and a live recording during the night of the meeting) will be published here: http://www.ci.sausalito.ca.us/index.aspx?page=17&recordid=5239

Online Survey and OMIT meeting Outcome
• Online Survey: Results from the Open City Hall survey are available online at http://www.peakdemocracy.com/portals/136/forum_home (go to the Bridgeway Pier item under “Closed Topics”). See the “Outcome” tab for full results.
• The video from the OMIT meeting is http://sausalito.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=115

How to Participate:
• Attend the City Council meeting on January 14
• Submit correspondence in writing to Lilly Schinsing at LSchinsing@ci.sausalito.ca.us or send a letter to the Administration Department at 420 Litho Street
• For Questions call Lilly at (415) 289-4134

Standards for Dwelling Units in Two Family and Multiple-Family Zoning Districts. An amendment was recently reviewed by the Legislative Committee and a Planning Commission subcommittee in October, November and December. For more information on the materials reviewed by the Legislative Committee in the Oct-Dec timeframe please visit: http://ci.sausalito.ca.us/index.aspx?page=578. This page does include a copy of the draft ordinance.

The Planning Commission will consider the amendments at a public hearing beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 420 Litho Street, Sausalito. The amendments are as follows: An amendment of the Zoning Ordinance (Title 10 of the Municipal Code) regarding the standards and regulations for residences in the Multi-Family (R-2-2.5 and R-3) Zoning Districts. The proposed regulations would be applicable in the R-2-2.5 and R-3 Zoning Districts by decreasing the allowable floor area, building coverage and impervious surfaces of any single dwelling unit. The total maximum allowable amount of floor area, building coverage and impervious surface would not be reduced, but will be required to be distributed among multiple units on the parcel. The amendment also amends required findings and application submittal requirements for Design Review Permits and creates exceptions to parking requirements. The amendment is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Sections 15305 and 15061.b.3 of the CEQA Guidelines.

The Staff Report for the Planning Commission hearing (including the draft Ordinance as recommended by the Legislative Committee) will be available online no later than Friday, January 17th here: http://www.ci.sausalito.ca.us/index.aspx?page=43 (and if available earlier, I will send along).

On September 6, 2013, the National Park Service released a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for Dog Management in Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) for a 90-day public comment period. Following the government shutdown in October, the comment period was extended 38 days to January 11, 2014. Due to continued concern from some stakeholders, the comment period has been extended a second time to Tuesday, February 18, 2014.

Farmers Market
Please note that the Farmers Market, held every Sunday in Dunphy Park, has gone dormant and closed down until the Spring. Watch for all the great vendors to reappear when that chill in the air disappears and the flowers begin to bloom again.

Country Western Hoe Down to Benefit Sausalito’s Sister City Cascais
Saturday, January 25 from 6:00-11:00 pm at the IDESST Hall

Sausalito’s 2nd Annual Train Wreck Junction Country Western Hoe-Down will be Saturday, January 25th from 6-11 PM at the IDESST Portuguese Hall on Caledonia Street. Tickets are only $20 in advance ($25 at the door) and include live music provided by Train Wreck Junction – an outlaw, honky-tonk, country western band.

Rock and roll or Texas Two-Step, toss back a few shots of tequila at the Three Sisters Saloon (see if you recognize any of your favorite local personalities moonlighting as saucy bar wenches!) and enjoy traditional Portuguese foods. You’ll need a hearty Bifana and a cup of courage if you’re going to straddle that bull and lasso a raffle prize. (Shots of whiskey, wine and long neck beers also available!)

So ya’ll come on down and celebrate the start of 2014 with your favorite rodeo queen or wrangler. Put on those snakeskin boots, grab your hat and launch the party season in Sausalito; you might even win the grand prize for best-dressed Buckaroo.

The event is a benefit for the Sausalito Sister City program with Cascais, Portugal. Last year the program hosted the Cascais Red Bull sailing team who were competing in the 34th America’s Cup in San Francisco. This year a delegation will travel to Cascais to implement an educational sail training exchange and other cultural programs.

The Sausalito Herring Festival will showcase food, beverages, information, and entertainment from the surrounding Richardson Bay. A food ticket will allow you to sample a variety of herring recipes prepared by some of The Bay Area's award-winning restaurants, while listening to local musicians including some special guests. A variety of beverages will be available. All food and beverage sales will go to benefit Cass Gidley Marina, a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization.

The Sausalito Herring Festival will include informational displays about herring, the fishery, sustainability, boating and the environment, with a focus on Richardson Bay. Celebrating the area's longstanding commitment to sustainable fishing and maritime culture, the festival will focus on the Pacific Herring, drawn straight from Richardson Bay. The Sausalito Herring Festival will have live chef demonstrations, food talks, sea stories, and more! The Festival takes place rain or shine.

Last year, the inaugural Sausalito Herring Festival was a surprising hit as more than 200 small plates of herring dishes from a variety of well-known Sausalito restaurants were served.